Pressure on Sacramento to speed up offer for Kings

SACRAMENTO, CA - Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson says the joint committee that will decide whether the Kings move to Seattle might want to hear his city's proposal before the NBA Board of Governors meeting April 19.

Johnson told reporters at his weekly City Hall news conference Tuesday that he remains "extremely confident" Sacramento will complete a counteroffer for the franchise by his March 1 deadline. The mayor plans to be in Houston this weekend during All-Star festivities to lobby league owners and meet with NBA Commissioner David Stern.

A Seattle group led by Chris Hansen and Steve Ballmer has a pending purchase agreement for the Kings and already has filed for relocation. Johnson says that "the Seattle people would like you to believe that the deal is done. The deal is not done."